April Appears

 It may sound ridiculous, but for awhile it appeared that we wouldn't see April weather until April this year. And, no, we didn't. Usually, in Memphis and the mid-South, we have glorious April days in March. Or as we call it in our household "San Diego weather".  Last year we had days and days of 70's in March, but not this year.  Our mom earth has made us wait for April.  What a bunch of March madness for those of us clamoring to be digging, not slogging and shivering.

amsonia March 31, 2012

same amsonia March 31, 2013

  But, even without the gardeners in the garden, the gardens have been waking up.  All around us are the signs that March this year was indeed a Spring month.


 And the blooms that  are coming are lasting longer due to the cool weather.    Daffodils that bloomed almost 3 weeks ago are still standing pretty in the garden.


And so now April is here and we see all around us what's been happening during the past month.  New growth, the swelling of buds, the unfurling of leaves, the rise of stems, pushing upward.

hosta

hosta

     What fun to watch the hostas
       emerge from dormancy!
                 
        Many hostas here are in
        pots to protect them
        from the voles.

But all the March action was not missed by this gardener.  Every day during March, no matter the temperature or the precipitation, I was walking

asparagus

slowly through the yard, looking for signs of Spring.

creeping phlox

  

hardy stocking fern

solomon's seal (Variegatum Polygonatum...)

grape hyacinths (muscari ameriacum)

bridal wreath spirea (Spiraea prunifolia)

epimedium

In reading garden blogs from other areas, I realize, in comparison to many,  I shouldn't disparage the weather this time of year.  But we in the mid-South have come to expect certain things. That's why we live here.  Can I hear an "AMEN"?